"For granting of gifts doth not cause Thee loss, nor doth the bestowing of favors diminish Thy wealth."

"I IMPLORE Thee by the splendor of the light of Thy glorious face, the majesty of Thine ancient grandeur and the power of Thy transcendent sovereignty to ordain for us at this moment every measure of that which is good and seemly and to destine for us every portion of the outpourings of Thy grace. For granting of gifts doth not cause Thee loss, nor doth the bestowing of favors diminish Thy wealth.

Glorified art Thou, O Lord! Verily I am poor while in truth Thou art rich; verily I am lowly while in truth Thou art mighty; verily I am impotent while in truth Thou art powerful; verily I am abased while in truth Thou art the most exalted; verily I am distressed while in truth Thou art the Lord of might."

-The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the Báb

" ... whomsoever Thou dost protect shall never perish ..."

... "O All-Sufficient One! Thou dost suffice Me in every hardship that may descend upon Me and in every affliction that may wax great before Me. Thou art My sole Companion in My loneliness, the Delight of My heart in My solitude and My Best-Beloved in My prison and in My Abode. No God is there but Thee!

Whomsoever Thou dost suffice shall not be put to grief; whomsoever Thou dost protect shall never perish; whomsoever Thou dost help shall never be abased; and he unto whom Thou turnest Thy gaze shall never be far removed from Thee." ...

-The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the Báb

"Thou art the Helper of the needy, the Deliverer of the captives, the Abaser of the oppressors ..."

"... Verily Thou art the highest aspiration of every earnest seeker and the Goal of the desire of them that yearn after Thee. Thou art He Who is ready to answer the call of such as recognize Thy divine unity, and He before Whom the fainthearted stand in awe. Thou art the Helper of the needy, the Deliverer of the captives, the Abaser of the oppressors, the Destroyer of the wrong-doers, the God of all men, the Lord of all created things. Thine are the kingdoms of Creation and Revelation, O Thou Who art the Lord of all the worlds..."

-The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the Báb

"I beg Thee to forgive me, O my Lord, for every mention but the mention of Thee. ..."

"I BEG Thee to forgive me, O my Lord, for every mention but the mention of Thee, and for every praise but the praise of Thee, and for every delight but delight in Thy nearness, and for every pleasure but the pleasure of communion with Thee, and for every joy but the joy of Thy love and of Thy good-pleasure, and for all things pertaining unto me which bear no relationship unto Thee, O Thou Who art the Lord of lords, He Who provideth the means and unlocketh the doors."

-The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the Báb

" ... and through whom shall I plead before Thee, while Thou art in truth my highest aspiration and supreme desire?"

"GLORIFIED be Thy Name, O Lord! In whom shall I take refuge while Thou art in truth my God and my Beloved; unto whom shall I turn for shelter while Thou art my Lord and my Possessor; and towards whom shall I flee while Thou art in truth my Master and my Sanctuary; and whom shall I implore while Thou art in truth my Treasure and the Goal of my desire; and through whom shall I plead before Thee, while Thou art in truth my highest aspiration and supreme desire? Every hope hath been frustrated save the yearning for Thy heavenly grace, and every door is barred except the portal leading to the wellspring of Thy blessings. ..."

-The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the Báb

"Forgive us our sins, have mercy upon us and enable us to return unto Thee."

"PRAISE be unto Thee, O Lord. Forgive us our sins, have mercy upon us and enable us to return unto Thee. Suffer us not to rely on aught else besides Thee, and vouchsafe unto us, through Thy bounty, that which Thou lovest and desirest and well beseemeth Thee. Exalt the station of them that have truly believed and forgive them with Thy gracious forgiveness. Verily Thou art the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting."

 -The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the Báb

Ellsworth Kelly

"Thou wilt surely gather mankind for the Day of whose coming there is no doubt ..."

"MAGNIFIED be Thy Name, O God. Thine in truth are the Kingdoms of Creation and Revelation, and verily in our Lord have we placed our whole trust. All praise be unto Thee, O God; Thou art the Maker of the heavens and the earth and that which is between them, and Thou in truth art the supreme Ruler, the Fashioner, the All-Wise. Glorified art Thou, O Lord! Thou wilt surely gather mankind for the Day of whose coming there is no doubt—the Day whereon everyone shall appear before Thee and find life in Thee. This is the Day of the One true God—the Day Thou shalt bring about as Thou pleasest through the power of Thy behest.

Thou art the Sovereign, the wondrous Creator, the Mighty, the Best-Beloved."

-The Báb, Selections from the Writings of the Báb




Gordon Parks